Experts have warned that the season of goodwill is threatened by till rage and high blood pressure. Beth Neil measured the stress levels of North East shoppers.

As Steve Fawkes hands over the credit card to pay for his wife's (very expensive) Christmas present, small beads of sweat form on his forehead. His hands begin to shake slightly and his heart rate flies off the scale.

`Tis the season to be jolly, so we are told. Well, apparently not if you're shopping along Northumberland Street on the first Saturday in December.

Newcastle city centre was crammed with Christmas shoppers all eager to get their festive spending under way. A joyous day of pushing, queuing, arguing and stress: the battle for the bargains starts here.

We followed husband and wife volunteers Steve and Andrea Fawkes, from Cramlington, round the city as they embarked on their first attempt at the 2003 Great Christmas Shop. Both were given special blood pressure and heart-rate monitors so we could track their levels of stress as the day progressed.

Adding to the pressure was Steve's determination to get back home in time to watch the Newcastle v Liverpool match on TV - kick off 12.30pm. The dagger glare from Andrea, 28, said it all: he'd be lucky.

Steve, who works in administration for furniture firm George Smith Ltd, was either lying through his teeth or completely oblivious to his soaring heart rate. The failure to find a parking space at their normal spot, Gallowgate, sent Steve's pulse racing at 94 beats per minute - more than 30% higher than his resting rate of 72bpm. I point out his pounding palpitations and he breaks out into nervous laughter.

"Oh my God, look at that! I must be more stressed than I thought . . ."

But Steve is not alone in his anxiety. It is 9am, Newcastle is already heaving and, as a result, Northern Rock team leader Andrea's heartbeat has also shot up by 31 per cent from her normal 70bpm to 92bpm.

She admits to being a little on edge: "We've come in early to try to beat the crowds, but it's filling up already. I don't enjoy shopping at this time of year, but it's got to be done."

The couple set off on their assignment, both keen to get the chore over with as quickly and painlessly as possible. First stop Fenwick, to find something suitable for both sets of parents.

Greeted with the sight of hundreds of shoppers trawling round the department store, Andrea's pulse increased again to 98bpm and her blood pressure reached levels of mild hypertension at 143/94. But while Steve's blood pressure was also fairly high at 141/92, at 90bpm, his pulse began to show the first signs of dropping.

The trend continued, eventually falling to an almost relaxed 77bpm making this Christmas shopping lark a walk in the park for Steve.

He kept his cool, calm, collected composure despite coming close to being decapitated by an overzealous shopper in Fenwick.

There was no such luck for Andrea; her pulse remained in the high 90s for the rest of the morning. Queuing for the changing rooms in Zara and almost tripping over a buggy didn't help matters.

"There seems to be screaming kids everywhere," she moaned. "I've been bumped into about 20 times because people are stomping around, not looking where they're going. And the queues are impossible, but I suppose you've got to stand there and take it."

Steve and Andrea's experience was reflected in a national survey which showed that, while Christmas shopping, women tended to panic far more than men. Online retailer Amazon.co.uk commissioned consultant psychologist Aric Sigmund to conduct the experiment which found inconsiderate shoppers, noise, queuing and collisions sent our blood pressure sky-high.

"The modern high street will be the scene of tantrums this year as the sheer stress of the modern shopping experience leads people to find their own violent impulses difficult to control," he said.

"Women feel the pressure the most as ordinarily they're responsible for making sure Christmas happens without a glitch, and will make more considered purchases. Men generally have a much more laid-back approach to shopping - they have more of a `grab, pay and hope she likes it' attitude."

Dr Sigmund's analysis also supported Andrea's claim that she was being pushed from pillar to post by fellow shoppers. The "bump per minute rate" was 1.9, or 114 collisions per hour. Drop-kick king Jonny Wilkinson experiences less knocks than that in an entire international rugby match.

Tests showed that when the guinea pigs shopped online their heart rate and blood pressure remained at normal levels, and the whole task took just 35 minutes.

"I'm not an impatient person," said Andrea. "But Christmas shopping can test you sometimes. But I've been surprised at how calm everybody else seems. I'm still glad we've come because it's quite early and we can get the shopping out the way."

Sadly, during a particularly stressful and completely fruitless trip to Warehouse in search of a party outfit for Andrea, the increasingly agitated couple make the agonising decision to split up and do their shopping separately.

Only until midday though, as each go off to hunt down the perfect pressie for each other.

"I think it was for the best we went our separate ways at that point," said Steve afterwards.

"Andrea couldn't find the dress she wanted and I could sense something was going to kick off."

He probably got the hint from the steam coming out of her ears and the flames flaring from her nostrils.

"We generally get on OK when we're out shopping together, apart from when Andrea's trying on clothes. She asks me what I think and I like to give her an honest opinion. That can sometimes result in a bit of friction."

Steve grabbed the opportunity to leg it across town to buy something special to fill Andrea's Christmas stocking. It was a race against the clock as the Newcastle kick-off was fast approaching. Nimbly weaving his way through the hordes of United fans and, expertly dodging the double pushchairs and frantic shoppers, he was a man on a mission.

Reaching the counter with a breathless "That one, please," he slammed down the credit card and, as all superheroes do, glanced over his shoulder and casually checked his blood pressure and heart rate. As the shop assistant swiped the plastic, and began making a serious dent in Steve's bank account, his heart pounded at 99bpm. His blood pressure reading came in at a worryingly high 153/109, veering dangerously towards severe hypertension.

But once the transaction was complete and Steve realised he was going to catch the match after all, relief set in and both his blood pressure and heartbeat began to decrease.

"I feel much better now I've got that sorted," he sighs. "I think it helped that I knew what I was going to get Andrea. I couldn't be bothered traipsing round the shops not having a clue what I was after."

We met back at the Monument to compare notes. Andrea's heart rate had remained in the high 90s, but the minute she left the shops behind to be reunited with Steve, it slowed down to a healthy 74bpm.

"I've watched it stay really high all morning," she said. "I couldn't believe how stressed I was. But it's amazing to see it fall right back down when I'm away from the crowds and the queues."

Still with an eye on the countdown to kick-off, Steve is granted permission from his newly-chilled-out missus to leave.

"I'm going to stay in for a bit longer and get some more presents out the way," says Andrea. "But it's getting really busy now so I don't know how long I'll last."

And with that, she courageously strutted off to face the baying mobs in Eldon Square, while Steve dashed back off to Cramlington.

Armed with a trusty can of lager, he sat back in front of the match, safe in the knowledge that there's a whole year's respite before the chaos starts again.

Stressful for mum

Two thirds of UK mums admit to secretly dreading Christmas because they end up doing all the work.

The research by Boots also showed that 90 per cent of dads and kids look forward to a time of good food and quality time - not surprising, then, that mums are the ones who say they feel the pressure.

Meanwhile, another survey shows that a third of men calmly put off their Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve. Once they set foot inside the shop, their reluctance to ask for help or directions leads to the `boomerang gifts' phenomenon - the presents just come back.

But this year, help is at hand for hapless fellas. John Lewis has launched the Man's Survival Guide to Christmas Shopping, designed to take the stress out of prevent last-minute Christmas cramming.

The guide is available at the Newcastle store in Eldon Square and highlights the key departments to visit for buying gifts. Also on hand will be personal Christmas shoppers and lingerie advisers.

A special gift wrap service is also available at John Lewis, making awkward-shaped present-wrapping a breeze.

1.Don't leave everything to the last minute. You'll end up desperate, over-spending and buying the wrong gift

2. Do your homework and research what promotions and special offers are available. Loads of stores have 3 for 2 offers for the skinflints among us

3. Don't be pressured into buying gifts for people you aren't close to or don't even like that much

4. Try and get into town as early as possible to avoid the crowds of late night, panicking shoppers

5. Why not shop online? It's quick, easy and often cheaper than the shops. And, of course, no queues.

6. Wear something comfortable, light-weight and warm. Don't sacrifice your comfort in order to look good - nobody cares. Women - bung on a pair of trainers or flat shoes on rather than heels

7. Set a budget and stick to it. It's not worth getting up to your neck in debt and the worry of how to get back in the black is the last thing you need for a mentally healthy New Year

8. Don't get traumatised by the queues. Just be patient and wait in line - there's nothing you can do about it! Learn how to control your breathing, inhale deeply, holding it for a moment and then exhale slowly.

9. Stop for a tea or coffee every so often to recharge your batteries.